Two Russian warplanes “came dangerously and unprofessionally close” earlier this week to NATO ships sailing in the Baltic Sea for a routine operation, the Atlantic Alliance said on Friday.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning when the two Russian planes approached the ships at “an altitude of 300 feet (91 meters) and a distance of 80 yards (73 meters)” without their pilots responding to communications, it said. NATO Naval Command.
“NATO considered the interaction unsafe and unprofessional because it took place in a known danger area, which was activated for air defense training, and because of the altitude and proximity of the aircraft,” according to a statement.
“The interaction increased the risk of miscalculations, errors, and accidents.”
Renewed tensions between NATO and Moscow
The statement said NATO forces “acted responsibly” in the incident, in line with maritime regulations.
“NATO will respond appropriately to any interference with NATO lawful activity in the area that endangers the safety of our aircraft, ships or their crews. NATO does not seek confrontation and does not pose any threat,” he continued.
The incident comes as tensions escalate between NATO and Russia over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February.
Fears of a clash between the two sides intensified this week after a missile killed two people in Poland, neighboring Ukraine. Warsaw is a member of NATO.
The alliance was quick to defuse tensions, saying it was probably a kyiv air defense missile.
Reinforcement of the naval presence in the Baltic
NATO has increased its naval presence in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea since the September explosions on the Russia-Europe gas pipelines that a Swedish investigation on Friday found was the result of acts of sabotage.
NATO’s Baltic Sea force, made up of Dutch, Norwegian and Danish ships, has carried out operations to increase cooperation with Finland and Sweden, which are on their way to join the alliance.
The decision by the two Nordic neighbors to abandon their longstanding policy of non-alignment and join NATO has angered the Kremlin.
Source: BFM TV
